Presently on the market is a tampon assembly which features a hollow tube into which the tampon is packaged. The hollow tube has an open end which receives the plunger and which is in contact with the distal end of the tampon. The plunger is depressed to urge the tampon out of the hollow tube. At the other end of the hollow tube there is a slited intergral hemispherical wall. Generally speaking the slits are four in number and are displaced approximately 90.degree. apart. This hemispherical wall protects the proximate end of the tampon and also enables ease of insertion of the tampon within the hollow tube into the vagina. Once the hollow tube is inserted the plunger is depressed and the tampon is urged out of the hollow tube. The hemispherical wall, due to the slits and the pliable nature of the thermoplastic material of which the tube is made, will open to allow movement of the tampon completely out of the tube.
Presently this type of tampon assembly is packaged with the plunger positioned inside the hollow tube and adjacent the distal end of the tampon. The length of the assembly, therefore, equals the length of the hollow tube plus the length of the plunger portion outside of the hollow tube. It would be beneficial if this packaged length could be reduced to realize a reduction in package size. Reduction in package size results in savings in shipping costs and convenience in use for the tampon user.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a tampon assembly of reduced length without loss of convenience and functionality in use.